The present invention relates generally to dart games and, more particularly, to a separate touch pad actuated apparatus for scoring a dart game.
The use of electronically scored dart games is well known in the art. Such electronically scored dart games include a dart board comprised of a series of independent polymeric dart board segments, the front face of each of which includes a plurality of circular openings for receiving and capturing the tip of a soft or plastic tipped dart. Upon receiving a plastic tipped dart, the applicable dart board segment moves rearwardly actuating one of a plurality of switches which identifies the particular segment of the dart board which has been hit by the soft tipped dart. The game includes microprocessor based circuitry for translating information concerning the segment hit by the dart into a score for the particular player whose turn it is. The score is then displayed on a suitable electronic display device. Such electronically scored dart games provide the capability of scoring many different types of dart games depending upon which game is selected to be played.
While such electronically scored dart games are widely accepted. In general, such dart games cannot be used with traditional steel tipped darts because of the potential damage which may be incurred as a result of being hit by the steel tips. As a result, for players who prefer to use steel tipped darts, scoring is typically accomplished utilizing pen and pencil or other antiquated means.
The present invention comprises a small hand-held or wall or table mountable apparatus which permits convenient electronic scoring of dart games using traditional steel tipped or any other type of darts including soft tipped darts, magnetic darts or the like.